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State lawmakers fight Moreland Commission subpoenas

Leaders of the New York State legislature are fighting in court a request from Governor Cuomo’s ethics commission that they turn over details about their private law clients.

Assembly Democrats and Senate Republicans are asking a State Supreme Court Judge to quash subpoenas from Governor Cuomo’s Moreland Act Commission, demanding they reveal details of private law clients who pay them more than $20,000 a year. Their attorneys are arguing that it’s unconstitutional for the governor to directly investigate the legislature and it violates the separation of powers.

Legislative leaders wrote memos to their members, saying they believe Cuomo is using the tactic to try to “coerce or threaten” lawmakers into agreeing to the governor’s ethics reform package.

Governor Cuomo has said it’s a “mistake” for legislators to fight the requests for details of their outside employment, saying it makes them look like they have “something to hide."

In a statement, the co-Chairs of the Moreland Commission say some of the lawmakers clients are already complying with the subpoenas. They predict the commission will “prevail” in court.